Bombardier's big focus now is on getting more C-Series orders. They are getting a few 900/1000 versions orders but the economic situation is still weak though there are sign things are starting to pick up...

As far as terminating CRJ 900/1000 production, it is really up to Bombardier to make that decision or when they no longer anticipate orders for these versions....

Quoting Bmacleod (Reply 1):Bombardier's big focus now is on getting more C-Series orders.

Agreed. The CRJ Next Gen series has allowed Bombardier to bridge the gap until the C series comes fully online. I would expect after production starts, you will see CRJ series production either drop even farther, or the line eventually shut down. Time and future economics will be a deciding factor, but it would be interesting to see if BBD will eventually re-address the sub-100 seat jet market....smaller geared turbofan?

According to aerotransport.org, Embraer has sold 381 x E170/175 while Bombardier has sold 590 x CRJ700/705/900 already. Not too shabby...

I think that in North America, very few additional 70-90-seaters will be sold due to pilot scope clauses, and pilots appear very reluctant to renegotiate current agreements.

Europe might offer more potential for the CRJ NextGen, but in the shape of the CRJ1000. I won't be surprised if Air Nostrum, SAS, Air One and Lufthansa Group orders CRJ1000s, especially if the CRJ1000 retains the operating costs of the CRJ700/900 but offer 12-14 more seats than the CRJ900.

Pluna in Uruguay might go for the CRJ1000 too.

Also I believe that the US Airways pilot scope clause allows up to 90 seats, so perhaps Mesa or someone else will introduce the CRJ1000 with two classes (6F + 84Y).

If the CRJ1000 is as economical as Bombardier claims it will be, there might be orders for 100 or so aircraft over the next few years. I hope so, anyway

Quoting Bmacleod (Reply 1):Bombardier's big focus now is on getting more C-Series orders. They are getting a few 900/1000 versions orders but the economic situation is still weak though there are sign things are starting to pick up...

Unfortunately they will want to be producing aircraft up through production start of the C series. If they don't sell more CRJ's, they could hit a point where they are building almost no commercial jetliners. That could be very damaging to them at a time when they need cashflow to bridge through the first C series deliveries. IMHO.

I find it surprising that more airlines haven't signed up for the new C-series. It is advertised as more efficient and has a roomier cabin (with bigger windows and wider middle seats). I like the 3x2 cross section. And it sits just about as many as the midsized 320/737 series. Maybe a tad too small to directly compete.

It seems while Airbus and Boeing are claiming the technology hasn't arrived for a 320/737 replacement, Bombardier has gone ahead and built it!

Quoting Rikkus67 (Reply 2):Agreed. The CRJ Next Gen series has allowed Bombardier to bridge the gap until the C series comes fully online. I would expect after production starts, you will see CRJ series production either drop even farther, or the line eventually shut down. Time and future economics will be a deciding factor, but it would be interesting to see if BBD will eventually re-address the sub-100 seat jet market....smaller geared turbofan?

Purely a guess...
Once the CSeries gets into regular production and becomes the success it most probably will be, Bombardier will completely redesign the CRJ series from the ground up with an eye towards increased efficiency, greater passenger comfort, and (hopefully, from what I've heard from maintenance people on this site) easier maintenance. Bombardier has done an astounding job of enlarging and refining what was initially a private jet to make it useful as a small airliner, but a clean-sheet design maximized from the get-go for use as a regional jet of 70-100 seats will have a ready made market, especially if it's seat/mile costs can be brought much closer to parity with narrow-bodies like 737s and A320s.

Quoting Colts001 (Reply 10):Delta regional carriers offer first class on CR9. UA offers on both CR7 as well as CR9. US offers on CR9 & E175. As far as I know AA & CO does not offer first class on there regional flights.

What is your point? I did not say anything about Delta or United. I simply said that US Scope does not allow first class of regional A/C. And you are incorrect, there is not first class on the US Mesa CRJ 900's or E175's.

Quoting CRJ900 (Reply 13):America West Airlines allowed Mesa to have 6F on their CRJ900. Doesn't that still apply, since AWA bought US Airways?

Testing And Production Of Bombardier’s CRJ1000 Nextgen Aircraft Progressing Well

Paris, June 14, 2009 – Testing and production of the world’s first CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft
are progressing well. The technologically advanced 100-seat regional jet was launched in 2007 as the next major step in the evolution of the CRJ Series airliners, the world’s most successful family of regional aircraft.

Earlier today, Bombardier announced a new firm order for 15 CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft placed by Air Nostrum. The CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft program has now captured 64 firm orders and four options. “We continue to make strong progress, including the addition of the second production model,” said Benjamin Boehm, Vice President, Programs, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “And we are particularly delighted with the expression of confidence in the program through a significant new order for an additional 15 aircraft from Air Nostrum announced today.” Among the program’s recent highlights:

• The fuselage barrel for the first production CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft, S/N 19001,
arrived at Bombardier’s Mirabel, Québec facilities on January 16, 2009 after traveling by
sea and truck from Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast site, Northern Ireland. Wing to
fuselage mating is complete and the aircraft has been transferred to the pre-flight hangar
at Mirabel. Installation of the cabin interior as well as exterior painting is complete, and
the aircraft is now in the final stage of preparation for flight.

• Following its initial flight at Mirabel, S/N 19001 will be flown to the Bombardier Flight Test
Center in Wichita, Kansas where it will join the prototype CRJ1000 NextGen airliner, S/N
19991, in the flight test and functional and reliability testing programs. (The prototype
aircraft made its inaugural flight from Mirabel on September 3, 2008).

• S/N 19991 had completed over 450 flight test hours by May, 2009, a bit more than 50
per cent of the estimated total flight test hours required for the program. Transport
Canada have seen and reviewed the prototype aircraft and the agency’s pilots have had
opportunities to fly the aircraft.

• The second production model, S/N 19002, is now on the assembly line.

• The CRJ1000 NextGen simulator program is on track and will be certified next

• The prototype aircraft has met or exceeded published speeds and altitudes and
tests have been successfully accomplished. Flights into natural icing conditions
also been successfully completed. The aircraft weight is on target.

• Transport Canada has approved the escalation of “C” check (heavy maintenance)
intervals for the CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft to 6,000 flight hours, or approximately
years of airline service, thereby reducing maintenance costs for operators.

I think that a moderate number of CRJ1000 sales in the next few years is going to be important to Bombardier. It's easy to say that they're transitioning to a focus on the CSeries, but the day-to-day reality is that we're talking about different factories, different workers, etc., and so it's not that easy to just change focus. They need to keep the CRJ's coming at a respectable pace in order to keep some momentum and some money coming in, especially with sales getting dicey on the corporate side as well- there are currently some white-tail 605's behind the assembly plant at YUL.

On a side note, is there any plane that has been stretched as far, proportionally speaking, as the Challenger/CRJ family? I'm always impressed by these planes. Though most would agree they're not the most comfortable to fly on, their success has been impressive and I'm a big fan of their aesthetics (although I still think the proportions look best on the smaller business members of the family!)

CRJ-1000: Length of 39.13m, MTOW about 42,000 kg.
(A stretch of 88% in total, which I would say amounts to a stretch of over 150% in the actual passenger cabin, although I'm not sure how to calculare that).